At the end of the season, team owner Dan Gilbert said he hoped to get a draft pick by making a trade or buying a pick. According to league sources, those plans are being followed through. Over the last week the Cavs have amped up talks with other teams to set the stage for getting into the bottom half of the first round or in the second round.
The team is believed to be targeting big men who may be available. This draft doesn't have instant-impact centers or power forwards, but is generally regarded as being deep in big men. That is one of the reasons the Cavs may be interested.
The team's second priority, it is believed, would be a point guard. There's a chance the team will be altering its backcourt before next season.
Historically, most picks are exchanged on draft night, especially if they are sold. Teams can pay up to $3 million for a pick and because of that rule, that is usually what the price for first rounders defaults to. Usually a team will target a player or two and then wait to see if he's available before attempting the trade, which is why these deals often happen at the last minute.
There is expected to be several picks sold this season because some teams are looking to preserve salary cap space they'd have to use on rookies while others are looking to help erase losses.
The Cavs have purchased second-round picks in each of the last two years. Those picks change hands with cash more often than first-round picks but the prices are going up. When they bought the draft rights to Sasha Kaun in 2008, it cost around $300,000. Last season the Cavs were outbid for a second-round pick by the Houston Rockets to the tune of $2.25 million. Already this week, the Portland Trail Blazers reportedly paid $2 million to move up 10 spots in the second round.
Nonetheless, with Gilbert's backing the Cavs will likely be aggressive in attempting to acquire at least one pick. While they are seldom impact players, there are prizes that come from the late first round and early in the second round. Five current Cavs were second-round draft picks and three others were taken with picks in the 20s.